Rigatoni alla Carbonara (Roman Recipe)
An egg-based rigatoni recipe which comes from the Lazio region, and is made with guanciale and Pecorino cheese.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 7 oz guanciale (see notes regarding substitutions)
- 1 tsp lard (organic)
- 5 egg yolks (organic)
- 5 oz Pecorino Romano, DOP cheese grated
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 lb rigatoni (high quality)
Instructions
Cook the Pasta:
- Start your pasta water in a large pot on the burner over medium high heat.
- Just before the water starts to boil, add a little salt (this dish requires less salt due to the inclusion of guanciale and Pecorino which are already salty.)
- Add the pasta when the water comes to a boil and keep stirring occasionally while preparing the rest of the dish.
Prepare the Guanciale/Meat:
- While waiting for the water to come to a boil, slice the guanciale into strips or bite-sized pieces and cook them gently in a large pan with the lard over medium-low heat. Turn off the pan when the guanciale is how you like it, just starting to get crispy, crispy or in between.
Make the Sauce:
- Beat the egg yolks in a bowl and stir in the grated Pecorino, and plenty of freshly grated black pepper. Don’t add salt, the Pecorino and the pasta water will take care of that. Add the hot pasta water a little at a time, beating it into the egg mixture as you go, until it becomes a smooth, pourable sauce.
- Now, pour in some of the pasta water a little at a time and beat into the egg mixture. It should form a nice sauce.
Combine the Ingredients:
- Lift the rigatoni directly from the water when it's ready using a spider or slotted spoon. Combine the pasta with the guanciale and stir gently.
- Next, pour in the egg mixture and stir. This is the critical moment: keep the heat off, and keep mixing until every tube of rigatoni is coated in the sauce. You’re looking for a silky, smooth coating, with no sign of scrambled eggs.
Serve:
- Plate immediately with more grated cheese and a generous amount of black pepper on top, if desired, and serve.
Notes
- As long as you know how to make the authentic Roman recipe, feel free to make your own version.
- I would advise trying to make it as written the first time to see how it is, and then making changes (as with all other recipes).
- To make the genuine recipe, you need to use guanciale and Pecorino Romano, however, if you are outside of Italy, guanciale may be quite difficult (and expensive) to source in the US, so please don't fret if you have to use pancetta or bacon, or Parmigiano Reggiano instead of Pecorino (a cow's milk cheese instead of a sheep's milk cheese).
- It's better to use quality ingredients over the correct ingredients. For example, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese would be my choice over a faux Pecorino cheese. Also, if you can buy guanciale, but it's full of spices and nitrates, use a plain pancetta, or nitrate-free bacon, instead.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 797kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 267mg | Sodium: 1160mg | Potassium: 249mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 378IU | Calcium: 345mg | Iron: 2mg
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Please leave a review by clicking on the RATE button above in the purple header or share a photo and tag @ChristinasCucina on Instagram!